Azerbaijan creates better conditions for free voting - Ombudsman

"Electoral Code of Azerbaijan is getting more advanced from year to year and better conditions for free voting are created," ombudsman Elmira Suleymanova said addressing a seminar held for heads of regional election committees.

Previously, there were some issues concerning voting by the registration place requirement, she added.

"But now people arenchr("39")t required to vote by their registration place. Now every citizen regardless of his registration place may vote simply by presenting his personal ID. That makes for more comfortable conditions for the voting," she noted.

Suleymanova noted, that necessary conditions are created for physically handicapped as well, including installation of wheelchair ramps.

"I believe, the upcoming presidential election will be held in a free and democratic environment similar to the previous elections," she concluded.

Next presidential election in Azerbaijan is to be held on April 11, 2018, according to an order signed Feb. 5 by the countrychr("39")s President Ilham Aliyev. According to the Calendar Plan of Azerbaijan's Central Election Commission (CEC), pre-election campaigning starts 23 days prior to the voting day and is stopped 24 hours before the start of voting. Thus, the campaigning will start on March 19 and end at 08:00 (local time) on April 10.